fair trade month spotlight: numi tea

tri partner, numi tea has been one of the largest purchasers of fair trade tea in the world for nearly a decade. that means that for nearly ten years numi tea has been one of the largest contributors in its industry to the solution of fair trade, helping developing or impoverished nations, and creating a sustainable model for us all, rather than just another part of the problem. fair trade. fair play. touché, numi.

Fair Trade Certification

Fair Trade guarantees farm workers are paid a fair wage and empowers them to lift themselves out of poverty by investing in their farms and communities.

The community of workers at our gardens democratically vote to determine how Fair Trade premiums are used in their community. Fair Trade funds have been used for a range of programs including new roads, cooking stoves, mosquito nets, new schools, college scholarships, enhanced maternity benefits, onsite medical staff, and life insurance.

Fair Labor Verification

Fair Labor Practices & Community Benefits was created by Numi and SCS Global Services (SCS) in 2007. Fair Labor Practices is a continuous improvement program that focuses on the labor and workplace conditions in developing regions where ingredients are grown, as well as all steps along the global supply chain.

Fair Labor participants are audited annually by a
third party auditing agency for their compliance to the following standards:

Sustainable Agriculture: Organic Certification is a prerequisite for the FLP program, ensuring workers are safe from harmful chemicals.

Entire Supply Chain: Each step of the overseas supply chain is audited for verification.

Continuous Improvement: Year-over-year improvements are required, as opposed to a pass/fail standard.

The FLP program fosters direct partnerships, and encourages brand holders to have a direct role in the social development of their supply chain. It is also complementary to Fair Trade Certification and can be applied to products and supply chains where Fair Trade Certification is not available.

If you are a member of an organization or enterprise who is interested in learning more about the Fair Labor Practices program, please contact The Numi Foundation at info@numitea.com